Server administrators have traditionally used operating system commands, calls and functions to obtain internal server data. With these commands, the server administrator can typically display the server status, display the number of current connections and the detailed information for each connection, display the configuration options for the server, display the configuration options for each server module extension, modify the configuration options for server and module extension, display all server module extensions, display real-time statistics for the server, for example, average number of connections, what streaming applications are being selected and their frequency of selection, the current number of connections and bandwidth used, and display the entire server state for debugging and servicing of problems.
Examples of such configuration options referred to above include, the maximum number of connections allowed, the default server directory or list of directories, the maximum or minimum buffer size, the time interval for a process or function, the time duration for a process or function, error messages, enable or disable features, a file or list of files for a feature, or a user or list of users for a feature.
For example, based on the real-time number of connections returned by a streaming server, a web server can dynamically create URL's to different streaming servers to load balance across multiple servers or networks. In another example, based on the real-time file access returned by a streaming server, a web server providing an access page to the streaming servers can dynamically create browser URL's to allow, deny, or redirect access to different streaming files to load balance or control access to users.
Traditional tools available to server administrators, however, require a specific command or network request for a specific data element or set or set of data elements. In most cases, additional data access requires additional commands and changes to the server and administrator software. One disadvantage of a direct mapping between command and data is the lack of the ability for data discovery and a rigid connection between a particular tools's code and the server data it can retrieve, display or process. Furthermore, these tools generally consume server resources when run. The resource allocation for these tools may disadvantageously effect the performance of other applications running on top of the server operating system. When a server is streaming data into a computer network for transmission to the client, such limitations on the performance of the streaming application may disadvantageously result in the interruption of streaming data. For example, in a streaming video application, the interruption of data may result in perceptible distortion or pausing of a video image displayed on a user device connected to the network.
It would be desirous to provide a network software application like a streaming server which would allow server administrators to access server data from any user device in a network. It would be further desirous to provide a streaming server which would allow server administrators to access such data remotely in real time. It would be advantageous to software creators to provide a server data administration feature requiring a minimum of software changes to existing HTTP based software tools in order to gather information, change information or work with new information stored in a network software application